October 7 – October 28 One-half hour before Sunrise until Sunset (All Day)

November 18 – January 15 One-half hour before Sunrise until Sunset (All Day)

BOBWHITE QUAIL

November 4 – February 28

8 a day — 8 in possession

RABBIT

September 16 – March 4

8 a day — 8 in possession

No running of dogs during daytime or after 3:00 a.m. during and in areas of spring turkey season.

SQUIRREL

September 16 – March 4

8 a day – 8 in possession

RACCOON

No Closed Season

May be hunted daytime or nighttime hours

Private Owned and Leased Lands: No Bag Limit

Open Permit-Public Land: 5 Per Party

No running of dogs during daytime or after 3:00 a.m. during and in areas of spring turkey season.

Check with USFS for further restrictions.

OPOSSUM

No Closed Season

May be hunted daytime or nighttime hours

No Bag Limit

No running of dogs during daytime or after 3:00 a.m. during and in areas of spring turkey season.

Check with USFS for further restrictions.

Bobcat & OTTER TAGGING REQUIREMENT 220-2-.30

All bobcat and otter, regardless of method of harvest, are required to be tagged by a representative of the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division within 14 days of harvest or may be left with a taxidermist with a completed tagging form, and the taxidermist is required to have the bobcat or otter tagged within 14 days of receipt.

BOBCAT(1,3), COYOTE(2), FERAL SWINE(2) AND FOX(3):

(Daytime Hours Only)

No Bag Limit

No Closed Season

Dogs cannot be used to hunt during and in areas of spring turkey season.

Bobcat – See tagging requirement (above).

Coyote and Feral Swine – trapping by landowner or his agent. Feral Swine – upon capture, it shall be unlawful to release any live feral swine. See regulation 220-2-.86

Bobcat and Fox – Trapping is limited to legal fur bearer season.

Check with USFS for further restrictions.

FERAL SWINE (2018): (privately owned and leased lands only)

Special Nighttime Season

May 1 – August 31

No Bag Limit – May be hunted during nighttime hours

Dogs only – no firearms allowed.

Note: Permit may be obtained through your local district office for nighttime nuisance control hunting outside of the dates of deer season.

BEAVER, NUTRIA, AND GROUNDHOG

No Closed Season

No Bag Limit — Daylight Hours Only

STARLINGS, CROWS & English Sparrows

No Closed Season

No Bag Limit — Daylight Hours Only

BEAR, MOUNTAIN LION & RUFFED GROUSE

No Open Season

WOODCOCK

December 15 – January 28

3 a day

Shooting Hours: One-half hour before Sunrise to Sunset.

SNIPE

November 11 – February 25

8 a day

Shooting Hours: One-half hour before Sunrise to Sunset.

Rail & Gallinule

September 9 – September 24

November 24 – January 16

Note: At time of printing, federal guidelines were not final. See Alabama Waterfowl Hunting Guide.

Sunset August 18 – Sunrise October 2

BULLFROG and PIG FROG

No Closed Season

Limit 20 frogs in aggregate per person from 12 Noon to 12 Noon the following day.

SPECIAL YOUTH WATERFOWL HUNTING DAYS

November 18 and February 3

Note: At time of printing, federal guidelines were not final. See Alabama Waterfowl Hunting Guide.

Same shooting hours, bag limits, and legal arms and ammunition apply as in regular waterfowl season, in accordance with Rule 220-2-.119.

SPECIAL TEAL SEASON

September 9 – September 24

Note: At time of printing, federal guidelines were not final. See Alabama Waterfowl Hunting Guide.

6 a day

Shooting Hours: One-half hour before Sunrise to Sunset.

DUCK, COOT, MERGANSER

November 24 – November 25

December 2 – January 28

Note: At time of printing, federal guidelines were not final. See Alabama Waterfowl Hunting Guide.

Shooting Hours: One-half hour before Sunrise to Sunset.

Duck

6 ducks a day — may include no more than 4 Mallards (no more than 2 of which may be female), 3 Wood Ducks, 1 Mottled Duck, 2 Black Duck, 2 Redhead, 1 Pintail, 2 Canvasback, and 3 Scaup.

COOT

15 a day

Merganser

5 a day, only 2 may be a Hooded Merganser.

GEESE

Note: At time of printing, federal guidelines were not final. See Alabama Waterfowl Hunting Guide.

Statewide (including Southern James Bay Population Zone)

Shooting Hours: One-half hour before Sunrise to Sunset.

September 1 – September 30

All Geese:

The aggregate bag limit of 5 dark geese (Canada, White-fronted, Brant) shall not include more than 1 Brant. Additionally, an aggregate bag limit of 5 light geese (Snow, Blue, Ross’s) may be harvested per day.

October 7 – October 21

November 24 – November 25

December 2 – January 28

Dark Geese (Canada, White-Fronted, Brant)

Limit 5 a day, the aggregate bag limit of 5 shall not include more than 3 Canada Geese and 1 Brant, all five may be White-Fronted Geese.

Light Geese (Snow, Blue, Ross’s)

The aggregate bag limit shall be 5 a day.

TRAPPING:

BOBCAT, FOX, MINK, MUSKRAT, OTTER & STRIPED SKUNK

November 4 – February 28

BEAVER, COYOTE, NUTRIA, FERAL SWINE, RACCOON AND OPOSSUM

No Closed Season

WFF has collaborated with the AL Trappers and Predator Control Assoc., The Safari Club and the USDA Wildlife Services to host adult and youth trapping workshops throughout the state. Go towww.outdooralabama.comfor dates and locations.

HUNTER ORANGE REQUIREMENT FOR HUNTING

During dates and in areas open by regulation to gun deer season, including youth deer season and muzzleloader deer season, all persons hunting any wildlife species, except foxes, raccoons, and opossums during legal nighttime hours or turkey or migratory birds (including crows), are required to wear an outer garment above the waist with a minimum of 144 square inches of hunter orange or either a full size hunter orange hat or cap.

Hunters are not required to wear hunter orange when:

hunting from a stand elevated twelve (12) feet or more from the ground

hunting in an enclosed box stand

traveling in an enclosed vehicle

traveling on foot no more than twenty (20) feet directly between an operating enclosed vehicle and a stand where the hunter is exempt from the hunter orange requirement. The hunter orange must be worn when traveling on foot between an operating enclosed vehicle and exempt stand when the distance is more than a direct distance of twenty (20) feet.

A small logo and/or printing is permitted on the front of hunter orange caps; otherwise, hunter orange must be of solid color and visible from any angle. Only hunter orange, commonly called blaze orange, ten-mile cloth, etc., is legal. The various shades of red as well as camo orange are not legal.

IT IS LEGAL TO HUNT DOVES ON, OVER, OR FROM…

Lands or areas where seeds or grains have been scattered solely as the result of normal agricultural operations, which include normal agricultural harvestings, normal agricultural post-harvest manipulations, or normal agricultural practices.

Lands planted by means of top-sowing or aerial seeding where seeds have been scattered solely as the result of a normal agricultural planting, a planting for agricultural soil erosion control, or a planting for post-mining land reclamation.

Lands or areas where grain or feed has been distributed or scattered solely as the result of the manipulation of an agricultural crop or other feed on the land where grown.

Standing crops.

Lands planted as wildlife food plots, provided the seed is planted in a manner consistent with Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service recommendations for the planting of wildlife food plots. In states without Cooperative Extension Service recommendations for the planting of food plots, the seed must be planted in accordance with Extension Service guidelines for producing a crop.

Lands planted as pasture improvements or for the purpose of grazing livestock. (The Fish and Wildlife Service will not make a distinction between agricultural fields planted with the intent to gather a crop and those planted without such intent provided the planting is carried out in a manner consistent with the recommendations of State Extension Specialists).

Standing or manipulated natural vegetation.

A blind or other place of concealment camouflaged with natural vegetation.

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System recommends planting dates for some top sown grains between August 1 and November 30 depending on individual circumstances. For details see www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1467/ANR-1467-low.pdf.

TREE STAND SAFETY RECOMMENDATION

Falls from tree stands are the most common hunting accidents. Serious injury or death are likely to occur from such a fall. It is strongly recommended that no one hunt from an elevated stand without using a full body safety harness and haul line. Be sure to properly attach the tether before climbing and remain attached until you return safely to the ground. Never climb with anything in your hands or on your back. If you think you are high enough, you are. Do not climb any higher than you feel comfortable.